Driving mechanism



' DRIVING MECHANI SM Original Filed June 29, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l Oct.31, 1933. P. BRUCKMANN ET AL 1,933,413

DRIVING MECHANI SM Original Filed June 29, 1927 2 SheetsSheet 2 Y of thedrum may be had. Accordingly, after the Patented Oct. 31, 1933 TE TO FEE1,933,413 nmvmo MECHANISM Peter 0. Bruckmann, William R.- Hager, andJohn i C. Griflith, St. Louis, Mo., assignors, by mesne assignments, toUnited States Hofil'man Machinery Corporation, New York, N. Y., a cor- 1poration of Delaware ApplicationlJun'e 29, 1927, Serial No. 202,271

Renewed February 19, 1932 7 Claims. -(o1.19.2 135 This inventionpertains to washing machines for laundries and more particularly todriving mechanism for the same. I

Most large washing machines for laundry use are constructed with a largerotating drum enclosed within a tub and arranged to be rotated 1therein-in order to agitate the clothes being washed. The drum isprovided with a door through which the contents may be inserted orremoved. The tub, which is usually cylindrical in form, is alsoprovided-with a door for access to the drum. vWhen it is necessary toinsert or remove articles from the drum, the'doors of the drum; and thetub must be brought into registry With eachpther so that access to theinterior drum has been stopped, it must usually be moved until its doorcomes opposite the door of thetub. Such a drum, when loaded with goods,is ex tremely heavy and the movement thereof by hand would be extremelydifhcult and very slow.

One of. the objects of-thisinvention, therefore,

is to provide means wherebytpower may be ap-' sition after it has beenbrought to such afposition Another object of thisinvention, thereforejisto provide means wherebypower may be applied by the application of powerdrive. i I

to the drum for turning the same througl1;any-

desired short interval of-time and to provide means for stopping andholding the drum in any adjusted position. a

Another object is to provide such moving and holding means which may beapplied alternately in quick succession.

Another object 0f thisinvention-is to provide means for interlocking thedriving mechanism and the door of the tub so that the door cannot.

be opened while the drum is moving. 1 I

Another object is to provide such interlocking means which'will preventstarting of the drum when the door is open. a v 1 Further objects willappear from the following description taken in connection with theaccompanyin d aw snw ch Figure 1 is a planview, of a power drivenlaundry tub embodying this "invention;

@ Figure ,2 is a right hand end view of Figure 1; Figure 3 is anenlarged detail .showing the door vl qcking mechanism; and

ing mechanism taken online 4-4 of Figure 2. i

Referring now'to the drawings, 1 designates a laundry tub which in theillustration is cylindrical in form and which provides both a containerfor the washing medium and a housing for the drum 2. The drum 2 ismounted in any suitable manner for rotation within the tub 1. I, Thedetails of this mounting are not shown in the drawings, as such detailsare wellknown inthe art.

. Mounted in any suitable manner von the tub 1 isa frame 5, upon whichthe driving mechanism may be 'mounted. This mechanism includes a shaft 6connected by suitable gearing enclosed withintheend housings 7 todrivethe drum 2. Fixed to theshaft 6 is a pulley 8 adapted-to receive abelt for driving the same. ,On opposite sides of the pulley 8and looseon the shaft 6 are idler pulleys- 9 and 10. The pulleys 9 and lil'areadapted-to receive driving belts. As is usual in such a drive, the belton one of these pulleys is an open one, while the other belt is crossedso that by shifting one or the other of these belts to the pulley 8, thedrum may be drivenin either direction. A belt shifter 11 provided withbelt shifting loops 12 is provided to move one or, the other belt to thepulley.8. Automatic mechanism, indicated generally at 4, is adapted tomove the shifter 11 back and forth periodically was to shift'one or theother belt to the pulley 8 in order to impart to the drum anintermittentrotation in opposite directions, Mechanism for this purposeis well known in the art and is, therefore, not shown in the drawingsand vneed not be described in detail.

Arranged within the pulley 10 is a clutch 13 adapted for operation toconnect this pulley with the shaft 6 for driving the latter. The clutch13 maybe provided with an operating member 14 adapted to be engaged by ashifter. 15. This shifterisslidable on the shaft 6 and the arrangementsare such that when it is shifted tothe right, Figure 1, its conical endportion is brought into engagement with'the operating member 14 so as tooperate the clutch to connect the pulleylO with the shaft 6 for drivingthe drum.

4 Mounted on a stationary part 16 of theframe 5 is a similar clutch'l'?having an operating member 18 engageable by the opposite end of theshifter 15 when the latter is moved to the left,

Y r r .60 I Figure 4 is a sectional detail of theinterlock- Figure l.The clutch 17 provides a brake adapted to hold the shaft 6 stationarywhen the drum has been moved to adjusted position.

' The shifter 15 is operated by a lever 19 pivoted at 20 on the frame 5and connected by a link 21,

i a bell crank 22 and a link 23 with an operating lever 24. The lever 24provides a manipulative element whereby the operator may move theshifter 15 so as to either apply power for moving the drum or set thebrake 1'? so as to hold the drum in adjusted position. It will be seenthat by moving the lever 24 upward or downward the power may be appliedto the drum for as short an interval as desired and the brake 17 may beimmediately set at any desired point. This provides that the drum may beinched along from any position in which it may happen to stop to such aposition as to bring its door opposite the door of the tub.

The tub I is provided with sliding doors 25, each having a handle 26, bymeans of which it may be slid upwardly so as to open the same. Anauxiliary door 27 may be provided for observing the interior of the tubat any time.

In order to prevent opening the door 25 while the tub is rotating andalso to prevent starting the tub in rotation while the door is open,looking mechanism is provided. Mounted to slide on the frame 5 is ablock 28 (see Figure 3) having a slot 29, through which a screw 30passes, so as to hold the block to the frame and at the same time permitsliding movement thereof along the frame. Adjustably mounted on theblock 28 by means of pin and slot connections is a plate 31 havingdownwardly projecting lugs 33, which, in certain positions of the block28, will stand opposite the ends of a pair of rails or ribs 32, one ofwhich is secured to each of the doors 25.. In the position showninFigure 3, the lugs 33 are clear of the rails 32, and in this positionthe doors may be opened. When the block 28 is shifted to the left, fromthe position shown in Figure 3, these lugs move into position oppositethe ends of said rails so as to prevent opening the doors. The block 28is secured by means of a bracket 34 to the link 21, so as to movetherewith. By this arrangement,

when the lever 24 is moved so as to render the I clutch 13 operative tomove the drum, the block 28 moves to the left, so as to prevent openingof the doors 25. The lugs 33 then stand in front of the ends of the ribs32 and in this way the opening of these doors is prevented, while thedrum is in motion.

An operating handle 35 is connected to a sliding link 36 which, in turn,is connected by means of a crank arm 37 to a shaft 38, the rotation ofwhich operates to throw in or out the automatic mechanism 4 so as tostart or stop the normal operation ,of the drum. The link 36 runssubstantially parallel with the link 23. Both of these links movelongitudinally in their normal operation, and both are arranged to slidethrough a block 39 mounted on the tub. This block is shown in section inFigure 4 and is provided with a bore 40 running transversely of thebores through which the rods 23 and 36 slide, so as to intersect saidbores. Mounted in the bore 40 and between the rods 23 and 36 is alocking device comprising a pair of dogs 41, each having a rounded endadapted to fit into a notch 42 in one or the other of the rods 23 and36. These dogs are bored to receive between them a spring 43 tending toseparate the same. As shown in Figure 4, it will be seen that the lengthof the combined dogs 41 is too great to fit between the rods 23 and 36unless the notch 42 in one of them stands opposite a dog 41 so that itsend may be seated therein. Accordingly, when one of these rods is movedso as to displacethe notch 42, the other will be locked against movementby the dogs. The rods are thus interlocked'so that when one is inoperative position, the other will be locked in inoperative position.Accordingly, when the drum is in motion, the lever 24 will be lockedagainst movement, and when the lever 24 is moved so as to operate eitherthe clutch 13 or the brake 17, it will be impossible to start the drumwith the handle 35.

In order to indicate the position of the drum, the end of the drum shafthas mounted thereon and outside of the housing 7 a pointer which rotateswith the drum. An index 45 may then be placed on the outside of thehousing 7 so as to show that position of the drum in which its doorregisters with the door 25 of the tub. This enables the operator to movethe drum around to the proper position and lock the same before openingany of the doors.

In order to protect the mechanism mounted on the frame 5 and to preventaccidental contact therewith of any person passing behind the machine, ascreen or guard 46 may be mounted on the frame 5 in rear'of saidmechanism, as indicated in Figures 1 and 2. This may be constructed ofperforated sheetmetal, wire mesh or any other suitable material.

It will be seen, therefore, that this invention provides a simple andeffective means for controlling a laundry drum of this type. When thedrum is stopped the door 25 may be opened and, while open, it will beimpossible to start the driving mechanism. While this door is openthe'operation of the clutch 13 will also be prevented so that there willbe no possibility of moving I the drum with the door open. Accordingly,it will be perfectly safe for the operator to remove and replace thecontents of the drum. When the door is closed, however, the drum mayvbe.

inched along to the" desired position by means of the handle 24, evenwhen the belt shifter is in neutral position. It will be noted that whenthe shifter 11 is in neutral position'so thatthein the details ofconstruction without departing.

from the spirit of this invention; it is to be understood, therefore,that this invention is not limited to the specific details shown anddescribed.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In a laundry machine the combination with a heavy drum and powerconnections for driving the same, of control mechanism, comprising, beltshifting mechanism for driving said drumin opposite directions includinga loose pulley adapted to receive the driving belt when in non-drivingposition, a' clutch on said pulley engageable to drive said drum, abrake operable to stop said drum, and a manipulative element connectedfor movement in one direction to engage said clutch and release saidbrake, and for movement in another direction to release said clutch andset said brake. I

2. In a laundry machine the combination with a movable drum enclosed ina tub providedwith a door, of driving mechanism for the drum,controlling means for said mechanism, movable means cooperative with thedoor adapted to lock said controlling means in inoperative position whenthe parts are in such position that'the door may be opened, a clutchadapted to engage the.

drum with said driving mechanism, a brake operable to stop said-drum,and a manipulative element connected for movement one direction toengage said clutch and release said brake, and

for movement in another direction to release said clutch and set saidbrake.

3. In a laundry machine having a movable drum enclosed in a tub providedwith a door, driving mechanism for the drum, controlling means for saidmechanism, movable means cooperative with the door adapted. to lock saidcontrolling means in inoperative position when the parts are in suchrelation that the door may be opened, a clutch adapted to engage thedrum with said driving mechanism, a brake for the drum, and

means for alternately operating said clutch and said brake, said lockingmeans being adapted to lock said operating means so as to permitinchingthe drum and also'to permit braking the same.

4. In a laundry machine having a movable.

drum, the combination with a tub enclosing said drum and, having adoorway, of a door slidable across said doorway, a rib secured to thedoor and extending lengthwise of the path of movement of the door,driving mechanism for said drum, a clutch for engaging'the drum anddrivtherein;

ing mechanism' for driving, said drum in opposite directions, includinga loose pulley adapted to receive the driving belt when in non-drivingposition; a clutch on said pulley engageable to drive said drum;v abrake operable to stop said drum; a manipulative element connected formovement in one direction to engage said clutch and release said brakeand for movement in another direction to release said clutch and setsaid brake; and means cooperative with the belt shifting mechanism andthe manipulative element to lock the same against simultaneous opera--tion.

6. A structure as setforth in claim 5, wherein the means to lock thebelt shifting mechanism and the manipulative element embodies a fixedblock, two rods slidable vthrough. the same in spaced relation, each rodhaving a recess formed and an expansible locking element mounted betweensaid rods'in a recess in said block, the ends of said block standing inthe path or" movement of the recesses as the rods are shifted.

'7. In a washing machine, the combination of a tub provided with a door;a drum mounted for rotation in the tub and likewise provided with adoor; means including a power driven element.

for imparting rotative movement to the drum; operator operated means forrendering the same effective; a. lock for the tub door; a brakeassociated with the powerdriven element; aclutch also associatedtherewith; and operator operated means for alternately rendering theclutch and brake effective, said means also being inter-related with thedoor lock and acting to free said lock when and only when the drum is atrest, whereby the drum may be inched to effect registry of the doors andthen brought to rest and the door lock moved to inoperative position.

PETER o. BRUCKMANN. WILLIAM R. HAGER. JOHN CrGRIFFITH.

